The Davis cup
I'm up at 5.15am and after showering, ironing my shirt and a cup of coffee I'm off on my scooter by 6am. I live in Bromley, Kent, and it takes about 40 minutes to get to the hotel at that time.
My route takes me up the Old Kent Road, so even at that time the traffic is getting heavy. And riding a scooter in London can be dangerous. You can't afford to let your mind wander. But it's still better than taking the train.
After arriving at about 6.40am I head up to the desk by 6.55am and talk over the previous shift with the night concierge. Then I start to get the ball rolling. By 8am I'll be reading e-mail requests from guests who will be arriving in the future. More immediately, I'll check details such as who has booked our hotel car and chauffeur for that day. This is one of my babies, so I'm really keen to make it work. It also brings in revenue - £75 a trip - which is the standard price for a chauffeur-driven service.
The main way we make commission here is on car hire. This is very popular with our guests, but it's also important that we ensure all car charges are put on the guests' accounts. The one thing I am most passionate about is not making mistakes. Nobody is perfect, but it takes effort to man the desk and keep a system working efficiently.
Another colleague joins me before 9am and together we plan the day according to what requests we have. It might involve getting shoes repaired, buying postage stamps, mailing off a package or going to a department store to get a jumper. And even though a large part of my job involves car hire, a lot of our guests want to visit the West End to see a show. They might be here for just one night and they want to see a particular play. That's where contacts come in handy. For the right price, I can usually get the best seats.
Gratuities play a role in this job but they are not a major part of our income. I don't think it's really fair to our guests to go in to any detail on this, however.
I take about 35 minutes for lunch at 1pm and usually eat in the staff canteen. I often have soup, a main course and an apple. From about 2pm until I leave, between 6pm and 7pm, it's all about being around for the guest and trying to sort out every request.
For the Expedia.com award, all entrants had to write a page to explain what made them an award-winning concierge. It asked questions such as how would you deal with a guest complaint ("discreet professionalism") or a difficult customer. We also had to explain how creativity comes in to the job, and whether we treat VIPs differently from other guests - which we don't. The competition was open to all Golden Keys [international society of concierges] members.
I was shortlisted, and a "mystery shopper" - Frank Barrett, travel editor of the Mail on Sunday - came in and pretended to be a guest. He asked me to get two good seats for My Fair Lady but then didn't want them. And he asked me to recommend a really good local restaurant. I didn't know who he was, but he was very unassuming.
I've never won any award before and I didn't really expect it as I'm the sort that never counts his chickens. What I most enjoy about the job is meeting and dealing with Americans. I've always had a soft spot for them.
I hope to be home by 8pm to see my 13-month-old daughter before she goes to bed. Then my wife and I have dinner together. She's French and a good cook so I'm a bit spoilt. I normally go to bed at about 10.30pm.
Interview by David Tarpey
Connaught Hotel
16 Carlos Place, London W1K 2AL
Tel: 020 7499 7070
Web site: www.the-connaught.com
Owners: Savoy Group
Bedrooms: 92
Staff: 250
Room tariff: superior double up to £395, de luxe double up to £425
Just a minute…
Who would be your ideal lunch partners?
I'm a West Ham FC supporter, so I'd choose Trevor Sinclair and Glen Roeder.
What has been the funniest moment of your job at The Connaught? When a guest asked us to get him the Marilyn Monroe collection. We thought he meant some films but he actually meant bras. We tracked some down in Fenwicks for him.
What is your career ambition? I'd like to work abroad, probably in the Far East.
